Hello hello! It was a good week. Here's the recap! Tuesday we had to resolve the problem that we found in the audit a few weeks ago, so we were here in the branch going crazy looking at all of the financial records and trying to find discrepancies. We found some! At some point, the last branch president must have added some of his own money to the church money and never gave himself money back. So we'll take it off the card and donate it as fast offerings to the branch. That's the protocol I guess. We had a lesson that night with a less-active, one that we have been meeting with weekly. We had him open up his scriptures (that have not been opened in a while) and he was having a fun time flipping through them and seeing verses that he had underlined and notes that he had written. It was a good lesson, and we hope that he opened up his scriptures a few more times this week. Wednesday we had district meeting, that was good. We then went to Lenta (a store here... comparable to Walmart) to get some lac for painting some wood at the service babushka's apartment next time we go. Turns out it's not as cool as Walmart and they don't have that kinda stuff there. So we just went to a hardware store... probably where we should've gone in the first place. The Novgorod Elders came down here for a split and we met them at the bus station then went home. Thursday during the day, we were on splits. One of the Elders had been in Pskov before and wanted to meet a few members, so we set up meetings with them and he and my companion went to them. My exchange companion and I did contacting until the bus at 3. The bus ride was by far the most interesting and comfortable of all bus rides... there was a fight between arguing women (uppercuts and headbutts... it was intense) and there was even air conditioning (it was hot out and usually they don't turn on the A/C). The police met us at the stop to investigate the fight.. but the instigator of the fight lied and said that she would be going all the way to Novgorod, but got off right before really fast before they could stop. But they stopped anyways, and there was another confrontation. That's when the headbutt was. We got to Novgorod, walked and did some contacting before time was up and walked by the church to find in covered in obscene graffiti. Lovely! So we had to take care of that. Oh, by the way we went to Novgorod. Friday was Zone Training. It was a good one, there was one part about Doctrines, principles, and applications that got me thinking (yes Dad, it's from Elder Bednar's book that you're reading). That was really interesting and now I can't read or hear anything related to the Gospel without saying to myself "Is that a doctrine or a principle? How do we apply that doctrine? It's fun. After zone training, we took a bus home. Saturday was great. We cleaned the branch, did our weekly planning, then went to some less active members. We tried to find them. None of them were home, but we talked to some fun people. There was also some kid (maybe my age) who kept riding his bike by us and trying to knock my Book of Mormon out of my hands, but I always moved it out of the way and made him look silly. There were a few babushki who really liked how we were dressed and were just in love with us. There was also a nice drunk man who approached us for some smokes, but we ended up talking about how he could quit instead. That's how it usually goes. It was funny. He said they weren't for him, but for a friend. He was nice and said he would never drink again. Sunday... Sunday was the day! The day of Miracles! Our good investigator, the father of the former branch president, reappeared at church! I was glad to see him. He even walked from his house (that's 2 hours away) to make it on time. He's usually 5 minutes late because of the bus schedule. He is doing well, we're going to have a ward activity at his dacha on Saturday. He had gotten drunk and fallen off the map, now he's back. I hope that on Saturday we get a good chance to talk to him about that and see if we can't help him out. If not, I'll make a good chance :). Also, MY PAL CAME TO CHURCH THE ONE THAT HAD A BIRTHDAY LAST WEEK. It was sooooo meant to happen, our meeting last week. He met the branch president, and the branch president set up the interview with him for this last week. They talked for 3 hours, he got some things off of his chest, and he CAME! I was happy! I was so happy! I will leave 100% happy. It was a good day. A member also brought us pies with rabbit meat in them. It wasn't half bad. I also had a testimony increase of the importance of meeting as saints on a regular basis. I just felt better after church and I realized that was why. Surrounding yourself with people who share your beliefs and values is important. In Utah, it's mostly all the time and I think we take that for granted. Here I've really learned that it's so important and vital. We had another miracle... the young Ukrainian kid came back here for a day, and we got to talk with him yesterday. He changed his phone number and the missionaries in the city lost touch with him. We restored the contact! Sweet! It was a good week.
I'm glad that I am able to be here with these changes for the better that are going on here! It is a sweet end to my nearly 11 months of labor in Pskov. But I've still got one more week! What will happen? Stay tuned....
Elder G.
p.s. I don't want this feeling to go away
p.p.s. picture time
Who's in that tower?
Kremlin
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